Our last day in Rome. Not completely over yet but we'll be busy packing tonight so I thought I better get the blog done early.
Yesterday was quiet, a sleep in as the bells outside our window go off for mass half an hour later on Sunday - 7.15am! Then a walk around our neighbourhood, Trastevere.
We checked out the church next door, St Cecelia's, she had a pretty gruesome ending. Her persecutors tried to decapitate her three times then had to give up. She then lived for a few more days.
We also visited Rome's first Christian church, Saint Maria in Trastevere (as opposed to the 6 billion other Saint Maria churches in Rome).
We wandered up to Campo de Fiori for dinner last night. It had a very Roma atmosphere, with live music and tables on the square.
After dinner we checked out where we were supposed to be staying near Piazza Navona. It was quite a busy place.
The kids were entertained by a spray paint artist on the way home. He was quite good, Ollie ended up buying a picture.
Today was the Vatican. We walked from here to St Peter's Basilica. It left me speechless. How do you reconcile such extravagance and grandiosity with the life of the humble apostle buried underneath?
The Vatican museum felt like walking through an art pawn shop. There are just so many pieces, statues, tapestries, frescoes, artefacts from ancient civilisations. What on earth does a church need all that for and where did it all come from? Maybe you hocked your wordly goods to buy your place in heaven?
The Sistine chapel really is a work of art, Michelangelo's talent was formidable but again I was just left perplexed by the extravagence of this and the many other decorated rooms. It reminds you of Versailles, an earthly king trying to show the world how rich and powerful he was.
We gave the kids a treat and caught the bus home. Now for the packing.
Yesterday was quiet, a sleep in as the bells outside our window go off for mass half an hour later on Sunday - 7.15am! Then a walk around our neighbourhood, Trastevere.
We checked out the church next door, St Cecelia's, she had a pretty gruesome ending. Her persecutors tried to decapitate her three times then had to give up. She then lived for a few more days.
We also visited Rome's first Christian church, Saint Maria in Trastevere (as opposed to the 6 billion other Saint Maria churches in Rome).
We wandered up to Campo de Fiori for dinner last night. It had a very Roma atmosphere, with live music and tables on the square.
After dinner we checked out where we were supposed to be staying near Piazza Navona. It was quite a busy place.
The kids were entertained by a spray paint artist on the way home. He was quite good, Ollie ended up buying a picture.
Today was the Vatican. We walked from here to St Peter's Basilica. It left me speechless. How do you reconcile such extravagance and grandiosity with the life of the humble apostle buried underneath?
The Vatican museum felt like walking through an art pawn shop. There are just so many pieces, statues, tapestries, frescoes, artefacts from ancient civilisations. What on earth does a church need all that for and where did it all come from? Maybe you hocked your wordly goods to buy your place in heaven?
The Sistine chapel really is a work of art, Michelangelo's talent was formidable but again I was just left perplexed by the extravagence of this and the many other decorated rooms. It reminds you of Versailles, an earthly king trying to show the world how rich and powerful he was.
We gave the kids a treat and caught the bus home. Now for the packing.
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| Rome Days 3-4 |
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